


No Such Thing as Tame

by extremelyperturbed



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Creature!Hannibal, Drama, M/M, Weird, Will & Hannibal don't touch more like Hannibal has a fixation on Will
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-05
Updated: 2013-10-05
Packaged: 2017-12-28 12:28:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/992003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/extremelyperturbed/pseuds/extremelyperturbed
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fulfills this kinkmeme:</p><p>Hannibal is some sort of mythical beast (dragon, griffin, lamia, doesn't matter) that's now in a sanctuary where people are kept away from it. Will is one of the few people qualified to deal with his species though it's repeated ad infinitum that one is never utterly safe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	No Such Thing as Tame

**Author's Note:**

> This is an alternative universe where the animals from various myths like harpies, mermaid, griffins exist but have become rare due to human encroachment and past campaigns to wipe them out since they were seen (not without reason in some cases) as threats to the population. The FBI in this universe also investigates creatures when it involves murder victims and property crimes (certain creatures do have a thing for treasure so some robberies have been linked to creatures.)
> 
> Everybody in the universe knows about the creatures so this isn't an X-Files type situation. It's just that now most people's contact with these creatures is usually in a zoo setting.

“Being a trainer of creatures is not something to be starry-eyed about,” said Will, professor of zoology who specialized in animal behavior of legendary beasts, to his class in the lecture hall. “They’re wild, intelligent and unpredictable. It’s true that they’re beautiful and fascinating but you should never make the mistake of putting your life on the line based on what little they allow you to perceive. It‘s like putting the entirety of your weight on a piece of string over the Grand Canyon.”

A student raised her hand. “Is it true that there are creatures that can speak to us?”

“A handful of them can converse in a very limited manner. Others can mimic the human voice in order to trick humans to come within range. In any case, the ability to grasp human speech makes them more dangerous, not less.” 

***

After his lecture was over, he sighed when he saw Jack waiting for him. “I’m not doing any more work with creatures.”

“We have one that seems to be as intelligent as a human, and not an average human at that. Not only that but his kind was thought to be extinct. We haven‘t seen a dragon in over three centuries.”

“That’s interesting, but no. I nearly got killed by that male harpy who was responsible for the Minnesota Shrike murders. I am done.” He had tracked the beast to where it had been feasting on his female victims after impaling them on tree branches and feeding his female chick pieces of their bodies. It had taken ten shots to bring him down. His assistant Nicholas Boyle had died of disembowelment by the harpy chick. 

“He asked for you by name.”

***  
Will looked at the creature behind the transparent force field. “Jack told me you were a dragon but you look more like a lamia.”

The creature who looked like a man above the waist and incredibly large snake below said, “It’s rather impolite to say these things without introducing yourself. I expect more from you . . . What is your name?”

“Will Graham. And what do you call yourself?”

“Hannibal Lecter. I assure you that I am a dragon but I used this form to better converse with you.”

“Jack has a tendency of overselling things in order to get me to work. I’ll admit that you are unique in how you have presented yourself. The best I’ve seen so far from others has been on the level of the great apes or mimicry like angler fish using its lure to bring in prey. I heard you asked for me by name.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I find you different from the others.”

“The other trainers are just as capable as I am when it comes to conversation. In fact, most people are more capable than me at that.”

“I don’t want to talk with most people.”

“You were caught while attacking a herd of sheep in the middle of the day. You don’t strike me as someone who hatched out of an egg yesterday so I can only surmise that you either wanted to be caught or you think that you can escape at any time.”

“Interesting suppositions.”

“How did you hear about me?”

“I am not isolated from your technology. I see your name often mentioned on www.tattlecrime.com.” 

Will rubbed his face with his hands. “Oh, God, you can not take anything that woman writes on her website seriously. Everything she writes is full of innuendo and bullshit.” 

Hannibal laughed. “Do not worry. I did not form my opinion of you strictly from that one website, as illuminating as it was. Especially what she wrote about the Minnesota shrike murders.”

“If you’ve done as much research as you said you have, then you should know that I already have a job as a professor of zoology. And to be honest, I know many other trainers who would have much more enthusiasm for working with you. I’m not interested.”

“I could make you interested.”

“I actually have some recommendations for a trainer more to your taste.”

Hannibal smiled, showing his sharp teeth. “To my taste?”

“Ok, I just walked right into that one.”

***  
Will had finished his last lecture of the day when he saw Jack walk in. “What is it now?” he said as the students drifted out.

“Hannibal’s not talking nor eating.”

“Did you hire Alana like I recommended?”

“Yes.”

“What happened?”

“He was polite enough but he just refused to say anything to her.”

“It’s only been a few weeks. Reptiles can live a long time on little or no food, especially after a big meal, which we know he ate. Look, Jack, who is calling the shots here? Him or you?”

Jack scowled at him. “What is your problem?”

“My problem is that you’re being played and you refuse to see it.”

“Play me for what reason? From what I’ve read, dragons like meat or treasure. He’s not currently eating and if he is as intelligent as he appears, he should know that we have no gold or jewels to offer him.” Jack frowned then said, “It doesn’t matter. My superiors demand that you visit him regularly. I am not asking you to return to the field. He’s always going to be behind a double barrier of reinforced plastic and a force field.” 

***  
“Hello, Will,” said Hannibal as he looked up from his drawing desk. 

Will put down a folding chair in front of the transparent barrier that held Hannibal, and sat down on it. “I hope that you know that I’m only going to be here for a few hours a week. I still have to earn a living. Also, the other trainers will be taking care of feeding and cleaning.”

“I’m not interested in you doing menial work so that’s fine.”

“What are you working on?” said Will, noticing that Hannibal was drawing something with pencil.

“A drawing. Would you like to see?”

“Yes.”

Hannibal showed Will a picture of Alana, that was extremely well-done. She was dressed in a dress with a fall leaves pattern against an ivory backdrop. She was also scowling as if frustrated. 

“That’s really good. I thought you only saw her for a few minutes.”

“I have a very good memory.”

“What other talents do you hide?”

Hannibal took the raw meat on the metal plate he was given and blew flame over it, flipped it over, blew over it again. “It’s perfectly medium rare,” Hannibal said as he sliced the steak open with one of his sharp claws to show him the truth of his words.

“I’m impressed.”

“I could make you one as well.”

“That’s not necessary. I went to the local deli and bought myself a tuna sandwich.” Will took it out of his bag and took a bite. 

Hannibal pouted. 

***  
“I am so jealous of you,” sighed Alana to Will as they had coffee at the local coffee shop The Daily Grind one Saturday. “I wish he was enamored of me as he is of you.”

“You make it sound like he’s flirting with me.”

“He’s gone out of his way to impress you. He told you stories about the distant past, his biology and his abilities. You really should write a paper.”

“Want to help me write it. I’ll give you partial credit.”

Alana shook her head. “I can’t do that. I haven’t done any of the work. Besides, he strikes me as the kind who’d be angry if he thought I was trying to take credit away from you.”

“You have a point. He is a stickler about things like that.”

“I think he’d insist that he get credit.”

“I’ll remember to do that.”

***  
“How often do you communicate with other non-humans?” said Will. 

“I don’t, really. It’s not like I haven’t tried. I’ve tried harpies but they were much duller than I had hoped. And the truly intelligent ones like centaurs are long gone.” 

“I notice you haven’t talk about any other dragons.”

“That’s because there aren’t any.”

“You must be very lonely.”

“Very. I'd rather talk about something else."

“Alana suggested that I write a scientific paper about you. I hope you don’t mind.”

Hannibal smiled. “I’d be honored. Did I not tell you that I‘d get you interested in me?”

Will smiled back. “Ok, you win on that one.”

“I always win. It just takes time.”

***  
“I heard about what happened,” said Will. After Will had left one night, a masked man with tattoos on his chest and back referring to a series of paintings by William Blake called The Great Red Dragon Paintings had managed to break into Hannibal’s enclosure. A trainer had rushed in only to be knocked unconscious, letting the intruder escape. 

“Yes, it was most disturbing,” said Hannibal. “Have they caught him yet?”

“They’ve identified him but he’s still on the loose. I’m surprised you didn’t kill him. I know dragons can be territorial.”

“I knew that you would be displeased if I killed him.”

“I thought you would’ve caught him.” A trainer had tested the strength of Hannibal’s long tail using a dummy and the pressure Hannibal exerted was fully capable of squeezing a man to death.

“I was tending to the trainer.”

“What did he say to you? Did he tell you who he was?”

Hannibal smiled. “He said he wanted to be a dragon like me. He didn’t say what his name is or show his face. He said the only important things I should know about him were the tattoos and his strength.”

“Hmm,” said Will. Something seriously is not adding up, he thought. “And then he just left?”

“I told him to leave. He obviously thought I had magical powers, which of course I don‘t. Are you investigating the crime?”

“Jack is actually investigating but he asked me if I could ask you some questions about what happened. What were you doing at the time of the incident?”

“I was drawing a picture.”

“A picture of what?”

“I’m not completely satisfied with it but . . .” Hannibal took a piece of paper off his desk and showed it to Will. It was a picture of Will dressed in knight‘s armor but with the breastplate missing.

“It’s really good,” said Will. It both flattered him and made him feel slightly more uneasy.

“I’d like to give it to you but there is always a barrier between us.”

“Give it to one of the trainers. I’m sure they’ll get it to me.”

“Will, I’m curious . . .” Then Hannibal stopped as if struggling to find the right way to say something.

“Yes?”

“What do you think of that man’s desire to be a dragon?”

“I think it’s . . . pointless. It’s not like it could really happen.”

“Suppose it could. I want to know your serious opinion.”

Will thought about it for a while before he said, “I think that even if that man became a dragon, he wouldn’t be happy.”

“Why?”

“Because it wouldn’t fix the hole in himself that he’s trying to fill. His obsession would either mutate into some other fixation or it would cause an implosion as he realized that all the problems he had are still part of him.”

Hannibal nodded. “That’s what I also think about him. I‘m glad we agree.”

***

“Where’s Will?” said Hannibal as he saw Jack where Will usually sat.

“I think you know what happened.”

“No, please enlighten me.”

“Your visitor turned out to work for the security system for your enclosure. He attacked Will and injected him with something that’s given him a very high fever. What did you do to him?”

Jack’s phone rang and he put it to his ear. “Hello? Alana, calm down. What the hell do you mean he’s developing scales?”

Jack turned back to Hannibal and saw a smile on his face that was evilly triumphant . . . right before the force field went off and Hannibal fully transformed . . .  
***  
“No,” screamed Francis Dolarhyde once he heard that a black horned dragon had appeared outside the hospital Will had been taken, stolen the patient and then disappeared. “I was the dragon, not him. He told me it was poison.”

Alana looked at the man behind the transparent barrier. “It was poison. It was.” 

The End


End file.
